(1) Field of the Invention:
This invention relates to the mounting of the vehicle wheels and tire rim assemblies of the type normally found on trucks where the tire and rim assembly must be axially aligned with the wheel.
(2) Description of the Prior Art:
Prior art devices of this type have utilized a number of different designs to align tire rim assemblies to the vehicle's wheel. See for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,055,264, 3,337,961, 3,822,478 and 4,011,659.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,055,264 a wheel alignment apparatus is shown wherein a light projector is suspended outwardly from a vehicle's mounted wheel and aligns the wheel in a traditional manner.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,337,961 on a wheel checking instrument having rotatable reference projectors movably positioned on the rim portion of the tire to check the wheel alignment in the usual manner.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,822,478 discloses a wheel centering device that aligns one wheel rim with respect to a second wheel as found on dual wheel arrangements on trucks.
Finally in U.S. Pat. No. 4,011,659, a centering apparatus is disclosed that attaches to the wheel of the vehicle and determines if the axle is incorrectly adjusted or aligned.
Applicant's device determines location of the wheel and the tire rim assembly on the right angular plane to the axis of the vehicle's axle by positioning a light source on that axis and projecting a light beam to an alignment indicator on a target spaced from the light source.